In the case of circular knitting machines with large structural heights and/or large diameters, it is often difficult, particularly for smaller persons, to reach devices arranged at an upper region of the machine, in particular devices for the manufacturing of a knitted product, such as needle cams, yarn guides, yarn supply devices, or similar, although this is essential for carrying out adjustment, repair and servicing work. A circular knitting machine with a raised working platform is therefore already known (DE 1 730 206 U1), which is designed as a walkway arranged along the periphery of the machine chassis, runs at a certain height above the floor and is firmly attached to the machine chassis and accessible to the persons operating the circular knitting machine. However, a walkway of this type makes access to the equipment arranged in a lower region of the circular knitting machine difficult or impossible. This is especially the case in relation to the usually present drawing-off and/or winding devices, since for safety reasons, these are usually surrounded by a protective cover having at least one door that is designed for being opened if necessary in order, for instance, to remove a finished fabric batch.
Additionally, circular knitting machines of the aforementioned type are known (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,959,991, 3,959,992 and 4,033,147), whereby the working platform extends only over a (small) fraction of the machine periphery and is pivotable as a whole together with or independently of a door provided in the protective cover. By this means, it is possible without further difficulty to open the door if required and to remove the fabric batch, possibly after pivoting the working platform away. Contrasted with the advantage, thereby achieved, of improved function is the disadvantage that easier access to the means intended for manufacturing the knitted goods is available either only on a small part of the periphery of the circular knitting machine, or that a plurality of working platforms and pivoting mechanisms have to be arranged round the periphery of the circular knitting machine, which brings with it an increased design and financial cost.